Arab News Japan

TOKYO: The Shibuya district of Tokyo is famous for its busy Shibuya Crossing, said to be the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world.

However, on the night of October 31 every year, Shibuya is also renowned for its unique and vibrant Halloween costumes and a massive Halloween party, a celebration unlike any other.

Until this year.

While COVID muted the annual Halloween celebrations for a couple of years, people returned to the streets of Shibuya last year, and many were eagerly anticipating a full celebration in 2024.

The authorities, however, had other ideas, much to the disappointment of the public.

Due to a few examples of antisocial behavior in the past — including turning a small truck on its side — the city government and the police decided to crack down this year.

Pre-COVID, tens of thousands of bizarrely dressed youngsters would head towards Shibuya Crossing to display their costumes and parade around the city.

The partygoers, in their unique costumes, would bring the city to a standstill, creating a sense of community and joy. However, this year, the authorities had other plans.

This year, police have imposed restrictions on drinking in public there and erected extensive barriers to prevent people from taking over the roads.

Many people still turned up in outrageous outfits and walked around the area, but the party atmosphere of previous years was missing, and many criticized the authorities for their heavy-handed approach to one of Shibuya’s unique and popular events.